Devices for containing and dispensing granular, powdered or crystalline material



2,750, DERED L. N. DUNCAN June 12. 1956 POW DEVICES FOR CONTAINING ANDDISPENSING GRANULAR OR CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.25, 1951 Ls: NORMAN 0u/vcA/v 8 Li d/Z (Ittomeg;

June 12. 1956 L N DUNCAN 2,750,072

DEVICES FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING GRANULAR, POWDERED OR CRYSTALLINEMATERIAL Filed Jan. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEE. NORMAN Du/vcmv BY e ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent '0 DEVICES FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING GRANULAR,POWDERED OR CRYSTALLINE MATERIAL Lee Norman Duncan, Oklahoma City, Okla;Edith Baldwin Duncan, executrix of said Lee Norman Duncan, geceased; bydecree of distribution to Edith Baldwin uncau Application January 25,1951, Serial No. 207,710

14 Claims. (Cl. 222-42) This invention relates to improvements incontainersdispensers for containing granular, powdered or crystallinematerial and the like and for dispensing the same in measured volumes.An example of such a device is one for containing such material anddispersing it in measured volumes for use in the preparation of foodsand for compounding chemicals.

An important object of the invention is to provide a dispensing devicewhich, in one form, will accurately dispense measured volumes offlowable material, and in another form is adapted to accurately dispensecaked material but both forms have many parts in common.

Another important object is to provide a containerdispenser of suchmaterials which is so constructed that moisture is not apt to find a wayinto the containerdispenser and the material will not be affectedthereby.

A further important object is to provide a dispenser which is readilymanipulated by the operator, in that complicated adjustments of levers,thumbnuts, knobs and the like are not necessary in order to effectaccurate dispensing of the material.

In addition, an important object of the invention is to utilize portionsof the new container-dispenser to perform dual functions and thus reducethe number of parts.

Another important object is to provide a containerdispenser which willnot be apt to become clogged by the material to be dispensed and thusrendered inoperative.

A major object is to provide a detachable receiver, associated with thenew device, to receive the dispensed material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed de- I dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view (exploded) of the portions of this newcontainer-dispenser for agitating, accurately measuring and dispensingthe material. 7

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the container-dispenser of Fig. l with partsbroken away in order to show portions of the interior construction.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower or dispensing endof this new container-dispenser showing material being dispensed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan of this new dispenser-container.

Fig. 6 is an elevation thereof. 1 1

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a portion of the upper endof the housing of the container-dispenser at a grooved portion thereof.

Fig. 8 is a like section but adjacent the lower end of the housing.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a modification of the coniceminer-dispenser arranged to contain and dispense caked material.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the lower portion of thecontainer-dispenser of Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view (exploded) of this lastmentionedcontainer-dispenser illustrating only the devices for agitating,accurately measuring and positively dispensing the caked material.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower or dispensing endof the container-dispenser of Figs. 9, l0 and 11, showing caked materialbeing dispensed.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a modification of the means providing aclosure and to guide an operator to accurately manipulate the dispensingmeans of either the form of invention of Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive or ofFigs. 9, l0 and 11.

Fig. 12 is an elevation of the upper end of the housing of either form.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section thereof.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shownplural forms of the invention and wherein similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter Adesignates one form of the invention, particularly, but not wholly,adapted for containing and dispensing readily flowable material D andhaving an upwardly-facing combined closure and dialing means; the letterB, another form, useful in containing and dispensing such material Ewhich is inclined to cake; the letter C, a modified form of either theform A or B, but with outwardly-facing dialing means; the letter F asupport of the several forms of the invention, and the letter G areceptacle for the dispensed material.

The form of the container dispenser A, shown particularly in Figures 1to 8 inclusive, comprises a receptacle or housing 15, means 16 todetachably secure it to a support F, means 17 to agitate the material D,means 18 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port, means19 to cause operation of the means 18 when manipulated by an operator,and means 20 providing a closure and to guide the operator to correctlymanipulate the means 19.

Referring to Figure l, the receptacle or housing 15 preferably comprisesan outer wall 25 extending upwardly from a bottom wall 26 and defining acompartment 27 having an upwardly-opening mouth. At least the lowerportion 28 of the wall 25 is preferably circular at its inner face andmay converge downwardly to the bottom wall 26. This lower portion 28 isstepped, providing an upwardly-facing abutment or shoulder 29 at itsinner face to receive the edge portion of a false bottom 40 to besubsequently described, and the wall 25 is provided with alongitudinally-extending guideway or groove 3% extending from the mouthmentioned to at least the shoulder 29 and opening into the compartment27 to slidably receive a tongue 41 of the false bottom 40 and having anadditional function in connection with the means 20, as will besubsequently detailed. Because the housing 15 may be made of hardenedplastic material with the wall 25 relatively thin, the groove 30 may bein a longitudinal rib 31 of the wall 25.

The bottom wall 26 of the housing 15 is provided, as in Fig. 3, with asuitable discharge opening or port 35 extending from the juncture ofwalls 25 and 26 toward the axial center of the wall 26 where it ends atthe periphery of an upwardly-extending, hollow cylindrical bearing 36,with an axially disposed shaft-receiving opening 37. Thedownwardly-opening hollow or recess 38 of the bearing'36, accommodatesportions of the means 19. The inner face of the bottom wall 26 ispreferably smooth and the two straight sides of the opening or port 35converge toward the axial center of this bottom wall substantially as inFig. 3'.

Above the bottom wall 26 is a false bottom 49, well shown in Figs. 1 and2, which may be a metallic or hardened plastic material disc, with itsedge portion resting upon the .shoulder 29. From Fig. l it will be notedthat the cross section of the false bottom shows a very htly loweredstructure. From theperiphery of the false bottom disc extends a tongue41 adapted to slide longitudinally of the groove 30, whereby the tongue,in combination with the walls of the *roove, prevents rota.- tio of thefalse bottom 4%. The false bottom has a collar- U from its periphery,with a portion of the InlllQJLll cut. out being extended downwardly, asbeing bent down- \=.'ardl to provide a bafile 4-3. It will be noted, bycomrig Figures 2 and 3 that the opening 44- formed by this cut out isl'rger than the opening 35.

Any suitable means 16 may be provided to dctachably secure the hou ingto a support F. This means may ped projection 45, shown in Fig. 3, exlthe outer face of the wall with opposite the wedge shaped projectionconverging down' wardly and adapted to fit snugly against the inner down'y--converging faces of a bracket 46 of the support ich may be ametallic strip bent to form two conarms and a bight portion with thelatter suitably ed to a wall or the like. This projection 45 is hollowand may be a continuation of the plastic material forming the wall Means1'7 to agitate the material D is best shown in Fig. l and theintermediate portion of Fig. 2 and cornprises a hollow hemispherical ordomed member 59 open at its bottom and provided with a shaft-receivingpolygonal opening 51. Radiating outwardly from the lower part of thehemispherical wall of the member 50 are a plurality of substantiallyequally spaced apart agitator elements 52 which may be arms which extendwith their outer free ends nearly touching the inner face of the wall 25just above the shoulder 29 when the means 17 is in place.

The means 18 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port(the port is best shown in the lower portion of Figure 2 and comprises ahollow cylindrical member 55 having a top wall 56 provided with ashaft-receiving polygonal opening 57 surrounded by an upwardly-extendingcollar 58. Radiating from the cylindrical wall of the member 55 are aplurality of substantially equally spaced-apart pushers or arms 59extending to very close to the inner face of the wall portion 28, whenthe means 18 is in place in the housing 25. From Figures 1, 3 and 4 itwill be noted that the pushers or arms 59 have downwardly-openingpreferably narrow recesses 60.

First, with reference to the space 61 defined by the two facing faces oftwo adjacent pushers or arms, the horizontal planes of their upperfaces, the inner face of the bottom wall 26 upon which they rest andover which they slide the adjacent outer face of the cylindrical member55 and the adjacent inner face of the portion 28, this space 61 is soproportioned that the volume of material D which may fill the space 61is, for example, one-quarter of a teaspoonful. It is desired that thedistance between the two non-confronting faces of two adjacent pushersor arms 59 be such that when the space 61 is directly over the port 35,only one such space 61 will be open to this port, but the two recesses60 nearest this space will also be open to this port. But, as may beappreciated in Figure 4, the non-confronting outer wall 62 of one of apair of adjacent pushers or arms 59 will bloek the entrance of materialD into the discharge space above the port 35.

The material D in each space 61 as the latter approaches the verticalplane of the dicharge port 35 is leveled by the lower edge of the baflle43 as is clear in Figure 4 for this edge is very close to the upper faceof the adjacent pusher 59, in fact, may substantially contact this face.

Means 19 to cause operation of the means 18 when manipulated by anoperator includes the polygonal shaft 65 which extends through thecompartment 27 and outwardly of each end thereof. In the example shown,the sh t is hexagonal in cross section. It is adapted to l ly fit in theopening 5.1 of the member 54 and openi g 57 in the member 55 and rotatein the opening 37 in the bottom wall 26. Where the shaft 65 projectsabove the opening 51 there is provided means to limit downward movementof the shaft and this may be the Walls of a sir a; at? extendingtransversely through the shaft to receive a cotter pin 67 or the like,and below the opening 57 in the member 55 is provided means to limit uplmovement of the shaft, and this may be the walls a small opening 68extending transversely through the 't to frictionally retain a pin 69,which bears upon the ill. face of the top wall 56. Preferably, adjacentthe bottom end of the shaft 65 are a pair of recesses 70 th- It toreceive the two lugs of a spring clip 72 Sui It in order to retain awasher 73' in place disposed between the spring clip and the lower faceof the bearing 36, whereby movement of the shaft 65 in one direction isadditionally prevented.

With the false bottom 40 disposed upon the upper face of top wall 56 andthe means 17 disposed as in Figure 1, a spring 73 bears, under veryslight compression, as its lower end upon the upper face of the collar58 and its Oil-31 end bearing against the under face of the domed memberSt).

The means 20 providing a closure and to guide the operator to correctlymanipulate the means 19 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6, and includesa closure and indicia-bearing member 75 to rest upon the upper end ofthe wall 25 and close the compartment 27. This memher '75 is preferablyslightly outwardly convex, has a portion 76 adapted to fit over theupper end of the wedge shaped projection 45, having adownwardly-extending three-sided lip 77 to extend into the hollow of theprojec tion 45 and engage three faces of the wall of the latter. A lug73 is also carried by this member 75 and a portion thereof snugly fitsinto the upper end of the groove 3%). Even were a skirt not provided forthe member 75, the lip 77 and lug 73 would prevent shifting of themember 75 with respect to the receptacle 15. This lug 78 has a dualfunction since it supports a finger abutment 85 to be subsequentlydescribed. Disposed preferably adjacent the outer periphery of themember 75 are suitable indicia '79 such as the fractions M1, /2, and Aand whole numbers I and 2, with combinations of fractions and wholenumbers. The fractions may indicate portions of a teaspoonful ofmaterial and the whole numbers one or two teaspoonsful. Their positionsbear a relationship to the spaces 61, port 35 and lug 4-1, as will beexplained. The member 75 has an upwardly and downwardly CXiCl(' ingcollar 80 about a central opening which rotatably rc ceives thedepending collar 81 of a preferably outwardly convex guide element 82with the collar having a poly onal recess 83 to receive the upper end ofthe shaft 65 so that manual rotation of the element 82 will rotate theshaft 65 from its normal position. The element 32 is provided with aplurality of spaced-apart finger end rc ceiving openings 84. Normally,there is an opening 84 above each of the indicia 79, when the element 52is disposed above the closure member 75, with a portion of the lowerface of the element 82 disposed upon the upper face of the collar 80. Afinger abutment 85 is provided having a bracket portion 86 extendinginto and projecting upwardly from a suitable socket in the lug 7S, and ahook-like portion 87 disposed to overlie the peripheral portion of theguide element 82 substantially as in Figure 5 so the bight of thehook-like portion will preferably conform to a part of the contour ofthe edge of any of the openings 84. This finger abutment 85 functionsalso to prevent separation of the element 32 from the member 75, incooperation with the collars 80 and 81.

Sincethe guide element 82 is removable from the end of the shaft 65because this end is simply socketed in the recess 83, and the member 75comes away with the element 82, the operator can uncover the compartment27 to fill or refill the latter and can make no mistake in replacing themember 75 because it will not fit upon the outer wall 25 of the housing15 unless the lug 78 enters the groove 30 and the lip 77 enters the openupper end of the wedge-shaped projection 45.

When the operator desires to dispense, say,i% teaspoonful (or A of aunit) of material, he places the tip of his finger in the opening 84over and rotates the guide element 82 clockwise (as in Figure until hisfinger abuts the hook-like portion 87 and then may remove his fingertip. During this step, three spaces 61 containing measured volumes ofmaterial D will pass over the discharge port 35 and drop therethrough,and these spaces 61 will again be filled with material D to bedischarged, upon further movement of the member 55, because there is aspace 61 for every opening 84 and each opening is disposed in a positiondirectly above its companion space 61. Obviously the false bottom 40prevents filling of the space 61 directly below that portion of theindicia-bearing member 75 between the indicia 2% and A.

Referring now to the form B of the invention shown in Figs. 9, and 11,this differs from the form A only to enable it to function efficientlyto dispense more or less caked material. The difference between theforms A and B reside in a false bottom 90 differing from the falsebottom 40, a different means, designated generally as 91 to agitate thematerial (in this case the material E), although this means 91 utilizesportions of the means 17, and means 92 to move measured volumes ofmaterial E to a discharge port and project it through this port,differing only in part from the means 18.

The false bottom 90 is best shown near the lower part of Fig. 10 andcomprises a disc portion 95 having a central opening 96 to accommodatethe collar 58, a bracket portion 97 extending downwardly from theperiphery of the portion 95 (which portion has a diameter substantiallylike that of the hollow cylindrical member 55) from which projects,substantially horizontally, a small false bottom portion 98 carrying atongue 99 like the tongue 44 for accommodation within the groove 30 soas to position the false bottom portion 98 directly above the dischargeport 35 whereby the planes of the edges of this port intersect thisfalse bottom portion.

The means 91 utilizes the hollow hemispherical or domed member 50 withits opening 51 and arms 52, but also includes a scraper element 100shown in the upper portion of Fig. 10 for example, comprising a shaftencircling portion 101 having a polygonal opening 102 two horizontalarms 103 extending therefrom, substantially 180 apart and adownwardly-extending projection 164 from the outer end of each arm 103with the projections somewhat V-shaped in transversesection. Theseprojections 104 are disposed closely adjacent the outer wall 25 of thehousing and provide scrapers and agitators. By this V-shaped crosssection, each projection provides two blades disposed non-radially andnon-tangentially with respect to the wall 25, well adapted to scrape andagitate the caked material E. The element 100 has an additional functionas will be subsequently described.

As an additional portion of the means 91 there i s provided a split ringelement 105, of strip metal, having upwardly-extending slottedprojections 106 toreceive the arms 52. The slightly overlapping ends ofthe split ring element 105 provide additional scraping edges and theprojections 104 of the element 100 extend along the inner face of thesplit ring element at locations substantially 180 apart, whereby theytend to hold this element 105 against collapsing. It will be appreciatedthat the upwardly-extending projections 106 which carry the free ends ofthe arms 52 also provide, bytheir edges, additional scrapers.

The means 92 to move measured volumes of material to a discharge port(i. e., the port 35) is preferably exactly like the means 18 plus aspring metal projection 110 carried by the false bottom portion 98 andextending downwardly from adjacentone end thereof and with its free endportion beneath that part of the portion 93 from which the tongue 99projects. This free end bears against the upper faces of the arms 59 andis adapted to spring slightly into the spaces 61 as may be seen in Fig.11 to aid in the discharge of the caked material E. It will be noted, inFig. 11 that the ejected cake will not catch upon the edges of the port35 as it is discharged.

The operation of the container-dispenser of form B is substantially likethat of form A except for the additional agitating and scraping actionsof the form B plus the aid given by the spring metal projection 110. Aswill be seen in Fig. 9 the small false bottom portion 98 is very closeto the upper face of the arm 59.

In Figures 12 and 13 is illustrated a modification of means 20 and thismodified means 115 calls for a housing like the housing 15 except thatthe outer face of upper end of the outer Wall 126 of the housing 125carries spacedapart indicia 116 which may be like the indicia 79 and theclosure 117 has a skirt portion 118 which is provided with spaced-apartfinger end receiving openings 119 like and functioning as do theopenings 82, since this skirt portion extends over the outer face of theupper end portion of the housing 125. In the case of the means 115 thehooked abutment 120 for the operators finger may be a part of thehousing material and disposed as is clear in Figs. 12 and 13. Theclosure 117 has a downwardly opening central socketed portion 121 toreceive the polygonal upper end of the shaft 65 and, without invention,a wedge shaped projection, like the projection may be employed butdisposed spaced below the upper edge of the housing 125 so as to clearthe skirt portion 118.

In connection with the employment of the pushers or arms 59 having theirdownwardly opening recesses 60, it has been discovered that, at times,material to be dispensed packs or accumulates under conventional pushersand tends to raise such conventional pushers above the surface they areintended to move upon. Any material which would be apt to find its wayunder the arms 59 travels to these recesses and is finally dischargedand,

- hence, does not tend to raise the arms 59.

The interior structure of either form A or B is readily removable simplyby spreading the spring clip 72 so that the lugs 71 move out of therecesses 70 and the clip may be separated from the shaft 65 which maynow be slipped, with the elements carried thereby, out of the housing.

Preferably, the confronting side faces of the pushers or arms 59, inpart defining the spaces 61, are slightly downwardly diverging so thatthe material D or E (and especially the material E) will more readilydischarge.

Of course, the container-dispenser of form 13 may be used for loose (notcaked) material as well as caked or tending to cake material.

In order to provide receiver means to receive dispensed material D or E,I prefer to employ the receptacle G, shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Preferably,this is a cup having side wall extending upwardly from a bottom 131 todefine an upwardly-opening compartment 132. At the upper end of the wall130 is an outwardly extending, circumferential horizontal lip 133 andprojecting outwardly of this wall may be a handle 134.

The lip 133 together with a pair of horizontal lips 135 below the bottomwall 26 and extending toward the axis ofthe bottom wall, provide meansto detachably secure the receptacle G to and beneath the housing. Theselips 135 are carried by a bracket 136 depending from the bottom wall 26and having a narrow shoulder 137 in the space between the two lips 135.

In order to provide some resistance against accidental separation of thereceptacle G and the housing, I prefer to provide a slightly bowedresilient or springy metal member 133 carried by an arcuate bracket 139extending along the upper face of the shoulder 137 and disposed as inFigure 1 which member 133 is adapted to resiliently grip the lip 133.The receptacle G additionally constitutes a closure or wall to shut outmoisture, etc. since its lip 133 is in light frictional contact with thelips 135 and the lip 133 is tight against the bottom wall 26.

Various changes may be made to the forms of the invention herein shownand described without departing from the spirit of the invention orscope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptaclehaving a bottom wall provided with a discharge port, and a wallextending upwardly from the bottom wall; a false bottom within saidreceptacle, said false bottom having an area less than the area of saidbottom wall, whereby a passageway is provided to said bottom wall; meanssecuring said false bottom against rotation within said receptacle abovesaid bottom wall and with said false bottom directly over said port;pusher means below said false bottom to push material to said dischargeport, including a plurality of spaced apart radiallyextending pushersmovable toward and away from said port and provided withdownwardly-opening recesses, said false bottom including adownwardly-extending portion contacting one after another of saidpushers as said pushers move under said downwardly extending portion;and operating means to cause operation of said pusher means.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which adjacent pushers haveconfronting faces and said faces are downwardly diverging.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating meansincludes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equallyspaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle aboutthe peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposeddirectly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers and aremovable indicia-bearing member below said rotatable element andnormally closing said receptacle, and with said indicia-bearing memberprovided with spaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit beloweach of said openings exclusive of an area below one opening, and afinger stop carried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in thepath of travel of a finger with the tip Within any one of said openingsand with said stop positioned closely outwardly of but closely adjacentsaid area, two of said pushers closing said discharge port when said oneopening is above said area.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating meansincludes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equallyspaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle aboutthe peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposeddirectly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers and aremovable indicia-bearing member below said rotatable element andnormally closing said receptacle, and with said indicia-bearing memberprovided with spaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit beloweach of said openings exclusive of an area below one opening, and afinger stop carried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in thepath of travel of a finger with the tip within any one of said openingsand with said stop positioned closely outwardly of but closely adjacentsaid area, two of said pushers closing said discharge port when said oneopening is above said area, and said stop including a portion overlayinga part of said rotatable element and disposed close thereto, wherebysaid stop will tend to prevent said rotatable element from becomingseparated from said indicia-bearing member.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said operating meansincludes a rotatable disc provided with a plurality of equallyspaced-apart finger tip-receiving openings, arranged in a circle aboutthe peripheral portion of said disc, said openings being disposeddirectly over and spaced from the spaces between adjacent pushers, acentrally-disposed downwardly-opening socketed member, and a removableindicia-bearing member below said rotatable element and normally closingsaid receptacle, and with said iudicia-bearing member provided with acollar with said socketed member extending therethrough, andspaced-apart units of indicia, arranged with a unit below each of saidopenings exclusive of an area below one opening, and a finger stop iscarried by said indicia-bearing member and disposed in the path oftravel of a finger with the tip within any one of said openings and withsaid stop positioned outwardly of but closely adjacent said area, two ofsaid pushers closing said discharge port when said one opening is abovesaid area, said operating means including a shaft with an end thereofseating in said socketed member to rotate therewith, and said stopincluding a portion overlaying a part of said rotatable element anddisposed close thereto, whereby said stop, socketed member and collarwill prevent said rotatable element from becoming separated from saidindiciabearing member.

6. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptaclehaving a bottom wall provided with a discharge port and a side wallextending upwardly from the bottom wall; an operating shaft with saidreceptacle; a false bottom in said receptacle above said discharge portand provided with a discharge opening; means to agitate and scrape saidmaterial within said receptacle including a split ring having anupwardly-extending wall close to said side wall, and slotted projectionsextending above said upwardly extending wall, a scraper elementrotatably carried by said shaft, including a pair of arms extendingalong portions of said side wall and against portions of the inner facesof said upwardly-extending wall of said split ring; agitator armsoperatively connected with said shaft to rotate therewith and extendingabove said split ring with the outer end portions of said arms withinthe slots of said slotted projections, means to move a measured volumeof material in said receptacle to said discharge port and under saidfalse bottom, said means being rotatably connected with said shaft.

7. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said downwardly-extendingportion is constructed and arranged for its lower edge to extend to theuppermost face of an adjacent pusher when the latter is beneath saiddownwardly-extending portion for rubbing engagement with said uppermostface, and said downwardly-extending portion is of springy material andtending to spring downwardly.

8. A dispenser according to claim 1 in which said receptacle has asubstantially cylindrical side wall provided with an upper edge definingan upwardly-opening mouth and also provided with indicia comprising aseries of units of volume measurement on the outer face of the upperportion of said side wall, all of said indicia being equally spacedapart and equally spaced from said edge; said operating means includes arotatable element having a skirt portion encircling said upper portionand provided with a series of equally spaced-apart finger tip receivingopenings normally disposed to reveal said indicia, with one unit to anopening; and said operating means also including a finger abutmentextending over a portion of said skirt and carried upon the outer faceof said side wall.

9. A dispenser according to claim 6 in which said pair of arms aresubstantially V-shaped in transverse cross section with the V openingtoward said side wall.

it). In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptaclefor said material having a discharge port; combined means, includingaplurality of narrow, hollow pushers within said receptacle, each pusherhaving a downwardly-opening recess, providing a removable closure forsaid port, to move a measured volume of said material to said port fordischarge therethrough, and to receive material finding its way beneathsaid pusher; means operatively connected with said pushers for movementof said pushers toward and away from said discharge port, including ashaft; and combined closure and guide means providing both a closure forsaid receptacle and a guide for the manipulation of the second means tocorrectly measure said material for discharge, including a rotatableelement rotatably connected with said shaft.

11. In a dispenser for material of the class described, a receptacle forsaid material provided with an upwardly opening mouth, a substantiallyhorizontal bottom wall and a false bottom less in area than the area ofsaid bottom wall and fixedly secured to said receptacle and spaced aboveand substantially parallel with said bottom wall, with said bottom wallhaving a discharge port with the vertical plane of said discharge portintersecting said false bottom; combined means providing a removableclosure for said port and to move a measured volume of said material tosaid port for discharge therethrough, including a movable pusher; meansoperatively connected with said pusher for selective movement of saidpusher toward and away from said discharge port and beneath said falsebottom including a shaft; and combined closure and guide means providingboth a closure for the upwardly opening mouth of said receptacle and aguide for the manipulation of the second means to correctly measure saidmaterial for discharge, including a rotatable element rotatablyconnected with said shaft and disposed exteriorly of said receptacle atthe upper end of said shaft and a closure member over said mouth.

12. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said,

false bottom has a tongue and said receptacle has an elongated wallupstanding from said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with alongitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably andsnugly receiving said tongue and said combined closure and guide meansincludes a lug extending downwardly from 10 an edge portion of saidclosure member and into said groove.

13. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said false bottom has atongue with said tongue projecting outwardly of the periphery of saidcylindrical member; said receptacle has an elongated wall upstandingfrom said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with alongitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably andsnugly receiving said tongue and said receptacle has a closure having alug extending into said groove.

14. A dispenser according to claim 11 in which said false bottom has atongue with said tongue projecting out wardly of the periphery of saidcylindrical member; said receptacle has an elongated wall upstandingfrom said bottom wall, said elongated wall is provided with alongitudinal groove extending toward said bottom wall and slidably andsnugly receiving said tongue, said groove also being open at its upperend, and said combined means includes a closure for said mouth andhaving a depending lug extending into the upper end of said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS480,146 Souder Aug. 2, 1892 624,204 Frank May 2, 1899 829,018 KieferAug. 21, 1906 1,084,873 Addis Jan. 20, 1914 1,362,831 Altenberg Dec. 21,1920 1,412,329 Altenberg Apr. 11, 1922 1,639,370 Flegel Aug. 16, 19272,027,938 Berg Mar. 9, 1937 2,164,333 Mann July 4, 1939 2,239,966Johnson Apr. 29, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,409 France Sept. 25, 1923

1. IN A DISPENSER FOR MATERIAL OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A RECEPTACLEHAVING A BOTTOM WALL PROVIDED WITH A DISHCARGE PORT, AND A WALLEXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM WALL; A FALSE BOTTOM WITHIN SAIDRECEPTACLE, SAID FALSE BOTTOM HAVING AN AREA LESS THAN THE AREA OF SAIDBOTTOM WALL, WHEREBY A PASSAGEWAY IS PROVIDED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL; MEANSSECURING SAID FALSE BOTTOM AGAINST ROTATION WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE ABOVESAID BOTTOM WALL AND WITH SAID FALSE BOTTOM DIRECTLY OVER SAID PORT;PUSHER MEANS BELOW SAID FALSE BOTTOM TO PUSH MATERIAL TO SAID DISCHARGEPORT, INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART RADIALLYEXTENDING PUSHERSMOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID PORT AND PROVIDED WITHDOWNWARDLY-OPENING RECESSES, SAID FALSE BOTTOM INCLUDING ADOWNWARDLY-EXTENDING PORTION CONTACTING ONE AFTER ANOTHER OF SAIDPUSHERS AS SAID PUSHERS MOVE UNDER SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION;AND OPERATING MEANS TO CAUSE OPERATION OF SAID PUSHER MEANS.
 3. ADISPENSER ACCORDING TO CLAIM 1 IN WHICH SAID OPERATING MEANS INCLUDES AROTATABLE DISC PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF EQUALLY SPACED-APART FINGERTIP-RECEIVING OPENINGS, ARRANGED IN A CIRCLE ABOUT THE PERIPHERALPORTION OF SAID DISC, SAID OPENINGS BEING DISPOSED DIRECTLY OVER ANDSPACED FROM THE SPACES BETWEEN ADJACENT PUSHERS AND A REMOVABLEIDICIA-BEARING MEMBER BELOW SAID ROTATABLE ELEMENT AND NORMALLY CLOSINGSAID RECEPTACLE, AND WITH SAID INDICIA-BEARING MEMBER PROVIDED WITHSPACED-APART UNITS OF INDICIA, ARRANGED WITH A UNIT BELOW EACH OF SAIDOPENINGS EXCLUSIVE OF AN AREA BELOW ONE OPENING, AND A FINGER STOPCARRIED BY SAID INDICIA-BEARING MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN THE PATH OFTRAVEL OF A FINGER WITH THE TIP WITHIN ANY ONE OF SAID OPENINGS AND WITHSAID STOP POSITIONED CLOSELY OUTWARDLY OF BUT CLOSELY ADJACENT SAIDAREA, TWO OF SAID PUSHERS CLOSING SAID DISCHARGE PORT WHEN SAID ONEOPENING IS BOVE SAID AREA.